New skatepark gets off to a flying start in Devizes

Devizes mayor Kelvin Nash, his wife Pam and Lucy, who set up the skate park, at the launch of the facility

Devizes skateboarders, BMXers and scooterists wasted no time trying out the town’s first indoor skatepark, Ramp Nation.

Youngsters were banging on the doors at the new centre at the Garden Trading Estate, off London Road, before 9am on Saturday, desperate to try out the centre.

Keith Wain, who has set up Ramp Nation next to Jewson’s wood store with his wife Lucy, said: “It was absolutely crazy.

“We were due to open at 10am but there were so many of them here earlier, we opened the door at 9.05am.

“It is going very well. We had 44 signed in by 11am.”

There is capacity for 60 youngsters at any one time.

Dozens of scooters, in-line skates and skateboards were soon flying over the purpose-built wooden ramps and more were arriving all the time.

The mayor of Devizes, Coun Kelvin Nash, came along to officially open the centre and agreed it was a boon for local youngsters, who have been without a skatepark for more than ten years.

It has been a huge investment of time and money by the Wains.

Mrs Wain said: “We got planning permission in May but we have been negotiating the lease and getting the work done ever since.

“We were very lucky with the ramps themselves. We travelled around the country looking at other centres and we agreed we wanted wooden ramps. People from The Board Room in Leicester designed them for us and we had them made by a local carpenter, Andy Duckett, who has done a brilliant job.

“We are really pleased with the result.”

As well as a large ramp hall, there is a smaller room where users register, pay their fee and can buy tea, coffee, soft drinks and snacks.

Mrs Wain said: “We have got graffiti artists coming in to decorate the ramp hall and we want to turn the smaller room into more of a café.

“With half term coming up, we will be looking to open every day of the week. For £8, a child can stay here all day. I’d say that was value for money.”